Do NOT pay to check your credit report from the big three credit bureaus, when the government has dictated that you can get a copy of your credit report for free once per year from Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian.

Heavily advertised services such as freecreditreport.com are not in fact free, because you have to sign up for their monthly "Triple Advantage" paid service before you get your "free" report.

No, that doesn't sound "free" to me either, and I'm surprised that the FTC lets them continue using such a misleading website name given their terms.

But all that aside, for your free credit reports go to the official site here:
Annual Credit Report.

Check that all of the open accounts listed you have opened and are familiar with. I know I had quite a surprise when I ordered by first credit report, because as a student I had two addresses per year - summer and semester, never staying in the same place twice! So what?

Well, I had forgotten about all of those department store cards and specialty cards I had opened to get a 15% or 20% discount on a first purchase. Of course, I had never closed the accounts, so they were still open under my name, with billing addresses littered about town.

Again, so what? Well, when cards expire, they send a new one right? So I guess I just got lucky that some unscrupulous type living in student apartments, dorm rooms, etc., did not use my replacement cards when they were mailed out.

Needless to say, I cleaned house by writing letters to get all those old accounts closed.

Check your report. Make sure all is as you expect. Accounts you forgot about, paperwork mistakes by creditors or the credit bureau, or gasp accounts that IDENTITY THIEVES opened for you!

That's why the government has told the credit bureaus they must allow for a free report once per year. Take my advice, and just do it.